Local Congressman co-sponsors DOMA repeal bill

Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley has joined a growing list of supporters for the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill introduced last week to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and "ensure respect for state regulation of marriage."

"Today, in supporting this act, I am an arch conservative," Quigley said at the Washington, D.C. press conference last Tuesday that announced the proposed legislation. "Why is that? Because when you think about it, what have the conservatives said for all time about government's role? That government's role is to stay out of people's personal lives."

Quigley continued in a statement released after the press conference.

"Opponents of the repeal are often ironically the same people who oppose big government," he said. "But what's bigger, or frankly more appalling, than a government that tells you who you can love? ... [Repealing DOMA] is not just the right thing to do; it is our moral obligation."

Quigley's co-sponsorship of the act, which New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler introduced, marked yet another progressive step taken by an Illinois elected official in recent weeks. His announcement arrives on the heels of Alexi Giannoulias and David Hoffman's stances in support of marriage for gays and lesbians, but Quigley's co-sponsorship did not come as a surprise to LGBT activists around the state.

Equality Illinois chief executive officer Bernard Cherkasov said Quigley developed a strong relationship with his organization both during his time on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and since he took office on Capitol Hill in April. Quigley serves on the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and has previously co-sponsored hate crime legislation, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and called for the repeal of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

"He has been a strong ally to the LGBT community and we are very proud of the work he has done for us," Cherkasov said as he noted U.S. Reps. Luis Gutierrez, Jan Schakowski and Jesse Jackson, Jr., are among those in Congress who have also co-sponsored the bill.

Cherkasov acknowledged advocates for the bill have a lot to work ahead of them to build the needed level of support in Washington. He urged citizens to contact their representatives in Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the measure.

"We must keep momentum for this bill and keep it on the front burner by visiting representatives and spreading the word," Cherkasov said. "I think sometimes in the LGBT community, we care so deeply about these issues that we don't think to pick up the phone and call our representatives to tell them how we feel and why we want them to support us."